The shuffling hordes of the undead have appeared in almost as many games as the hordes they tend to depict, but any hint of zombie-weariness was gone the moment I saw Dying Light: The Beast in action. This all-new, standalone entry in the Dying Light franchise boasts an open-world full of zombie action, building on the series’ weighty combat and heart-stopping traversal options, while moving things forward with the power and technology they now have on tap.
Of course, Dying Light: The Beast sees the return of Kyle Crane – the hero of the first game – and we’re rejoining him after he’s undergone more than a decade of captivity and experimentation. Original voice actor Roger Craig Smith returns too (thankfully without having to go method for the role) tying it wholly to that first entry, but while that’s going to delight fans, Techland say this is going to be a great entry point for new players as well.
The name might be a bit of a giveaway, but in our preview session it becomes apparent that The Beast is actually you. Thanks to his incarceration and subsequent experimentation, Kyle Crane has developed a series of beast-like powers, coming to the fore when he’s pushed to the limit. These manifest when he’s angry – you wouldn’t like him when he’s angry – though in gameplay terms that seems to be when he’s been taken and/or dished out a certain amount of damage.
This is a new open-world region that’s not appeared in the franchise before, with a central campaign that’s set to give you over 18 hours of standalone zombie action. Techland feel this is the sweet spot in terms of narrative and gameplay content, though as an open-world game, there’s undoubtedly going to be plenty to distract you from what you’re doing.
Our preview mission sees Kyle tasked with getting inside the E&F chemical factory. Straight away, I’d forgotten about the amazing blend of speed, fluidity and of Dying Light’s traversal and parkour, and it looks even more seamless this time around. The environments are incredibly detailed, and every element has been hand-crafted by the visual team. Environments shimmer with foliage, and the new and improved water and weather effects add newfound depth to every scene.
The narrative this time out draws on inspirations from TV shows like Twin Peaks and Stranger Things, with central villain Baron working on a new strain of virus to create chimaeras, or Freaks as the game has it. For a world that is already most of the way to hell, this seems like an unnecessary narrative kick in the balls, but it gives us a clear threat to deal with, and a reason for smashing our way through piles of zombies.
We see Volatiles, the returning apex predators of the undead and “king of the night”. Through our preview, there’s an emphasis on avoiding combat at first, with leaping across rooftops then replaced by hiding in long grass, and avoiding the Volatiles especially. Fans shouldn’t worry though, as Kyle soon takes out a baseball bat, smashing up a pack of zombies, culminating in a particularly graphic replacement of a skull by a crimson hole.
As an open world experience, you’ll come across different encounters that will distract you from what you’re supposed to be doing. We find a small group of raiders trying to lockpick a crate, though that’s an easy distraction to ensure they don’t see Kyle and his bow coming. Or indeed the arrows as they lodge in their chest.
If you’re coming from the first game, there’s a greater emphasis on firearms – just as there was in Dying Light 2 – though Techland are keen to say that melee combat remains the focus. The team just want to give players as many tools as possible to work their way through the hordes, and the assault rifles and shotguns we see during our preview seem weighty and lethal. Ammunition is going to be limited though, so they’re never going to be the answer to every problem you encounter.
There’s also vehicles here, as first appeared in Dying Light: The Following, and we see Kyle hopping into a pickup truck which allows him to ferry a mission-specific canister across the map. This does, of course, involve running down a few zombies, but just as with the outlook elsewhere, this is a game about surviving against the odds. Vehicles will take damage, and you’ll need to refuel them too, so you won’t just be able to trundle across the entire map bopping zombies out of the way with the windows rolled down.
As an aside, Techland originally worked on several racing games including the Xpand Rally series, and they’re drawing on some of their original in-house talent who worked on these to make sure that the vehicles in Dying Light: The Beast feel and handle as accurately and enjoyably as possible. They definitely look fun as another zombie bounces over the hood and just misses out on being lodged in the pickup truck’s cargo bed. Maybe there’ll be an achievement for that.
The close of our preview saw Kyle complete his mission to attract the unidentified giant monster, with this Behemoth arriving in dramatic fashion, smashing cargo crates out of the way to enter the wrecking yard arena we’ve found ourselves in. At first Kyle struggles to do much damage – his guns run out of ammunition, and the equipped machete is basically just giving this guy paper cuts.
However, as the rage in Kyle grows he’s suddenly able to utilise his own powers, gaining some of the same attacks the Behemoth has been using to try and turn him into Kyle soup. You can now leap high into the air, crashing down to cause a painful shockwave, while Kyle’s strength goes off the charts. After wearing the creature down, Kyle finishes the encounter by literally pulling its head off. As blood spurts from the fallen monster, our time here runs out, but tellingly, nobody wants it to end.
As we approach the tenth anniversary of the franchise, it seems fitting to be returning to the world of Dying Light. Perhaps most surprising is that The Beast is going to be available at no extra cost for owners of Dying Light 2: Ultimate Edition, fulfilling the promise of a second DLC expansion for that game. Going so far beyond the minimum bar feels indicative of Techland’s approach to their premiere series, and to its fans. Thus far, The Beast looks stunning, with visceral and spectacular action tied to the franchise’s most impressive visuals yet. We can’t wait to see more.
